Freetown City Council has mobilised more than 700 workers to enforce recently introduced sanitation by-laws aimed at improving waste management and public hygiene in Sierra Leone’s capital, officials said on Sunday.
The initiative follows the council’s adoption of stricter regulations requiring residents and businesses to keep streets, drains and markets clean, part of efforts to tackle mounting refuse and flooding risks during the rainy season.
Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr has previously said poor disposal of household and commercial waste was straining city services and threatening health, particularly in densely populated neighbourhoods.
City authorities said the new enforcement team would monitor compliance, issue warnings and levy fines on offenders. The campaign will also include public education on responsible waste handling and recycling.
Sanitation has become a major concern in Freetown, where rapid population growth and informal settlements have outpaced rubbish collection and drainage systems, fuelling outbreaks of waterborne disease.
By Bala Sesay
